When Unrivaled’s 1-on-1 tournament begins Wednesday, Feb. 11, the level of competition will be high, but it will have a backyard basketball feel.
‘The best part about getting to compete is you’re just able to kind of do something different,’ Unrivaled co-founder and Mist forward Breanna Stewart told USA TODAY Sports. ‘Do something that you’ve done at the playground or at the gym and just kind of showcase your skill.
‘This time, it’s probably even better just because our pods are position based … I feel like it’ll just be better matchups.’
The Miami-based 3-on-3 women’s basketball league brought back its 1-on-1 tournament for a second season, dividing the 32-player bracket into four pods. The pods were ranked and voted on by fans, players, coaches and media members. Four top seeds were then selected from the pods. After the final vote, Hive guard Kelsey Mitchell is the top seed from Pod A, Breeze guard Paige Bueckers for Pod B, Mist guard Allisha Gray for Pod C and Stewart for Pod D.
The players in this season’s tournament will compete for a portion of the tournament’s $300,000 prize pool. The winner gets $200,000, runner-up $50,000 and $25,000 each goes to the other two semifinalists. Still, Gray says, this isn’t your run-of-the-mill competition.
‘Everybody here is a top [WNBA] player. In my mind, it’s just like, even if I lose, I’ve lost to a great player,’ Gray shared with USA TODAY. ‘So it’s just great being competitive and just ― that’s what makes it so much different than an average just one-on-one game.’
Stewart, Gray’s teammate, also revealed that Unrivaled’s 1-on-1 tournament is very different. It leaves room for possibilities.’What makes this different is literally, it’s all eyes on you, and you’re [in] the center and the person you’re playing against,’ Stewart said. ‘[It’s] a way to kind of showcase what you got in a short stint, but also when it’s one game, anybody can beat anybody. So you never know what’s gonna happen.’
To Stewart’s point, several upsets happened in last year’s first round, including Shakira Austin beating Chelsea Gray and Kahleah Copper moving past Aliyah Boston. What’s more, in a moment that sent shockwaves through the tournament, Aaliyah Edwards upset Stewart, 12-0. The Mist forward didn’t score a single basket. Stewart joked with USA TODAY that she planned to do things a lot differently this season. Step one: score a basket. Step two: win a game by taking it ‘one step at a time, literally.’
Gray, however, is approaching Unrivaled’s tournament a bit differently. The Mist guard is having a stellar second, currently sixth in the league in points per game (20.0) and fifth in made 3-point shots per game (2.3). She also has six matchups of 20 or more points, including 30 points against the Lunar Owls on January 17.
During 2025’s Unrivaled 1-on-1 tournament, Gray lost to Edwards in the quarterfinals, 12-6. Edwards would go on to lose to Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier. Collier is out for the season after surgery on both ankles. Still, the Mist guard isn’t letting that slow her down.
‘No matter who you put in front of me, I think I can beat them,’ Gray said. ‘I don’t fear no player here. So, I’m just looking to be able to have a good and fun, competitive matchup and a good time.’
Unrivaled’s 1-on-1 tournament promises to be great, starting with the opening round. Stewart pointed out she’s looking forward to seeing several guard-on-guard matchups ― Laces’ Brittney Sykes versus Mist’s Arike Ogunbowale and Phantom’s Natasha Cloud versus Rose’s Chelsea Gray ― before playfully saying that she and Gray, her fellow No. 1 seed and Mist teammate, are ‘ gonna go right at it’ during their individual opening matchups.
Based on the bracket structure, if Stewart, Gray, Bueckers or Mitchell advance deep into the tournament, there is a possibility the No.1 seeds could play each other in the later rounds. Stewart says playing against top players like Gray, Bueckers and Mitchell can be difficult.'[It’s] just a person playing against other three-level scorers,’ Stewart said. ‘You’re gonna try to put them in the toughest position. You’re gonna try to make them have tough, contested shots, but one seeds are one seeds for a reason. They’re gonna show why.’
Gray respectfully declined to share with USA TODAY what she planned to do with the money if she wins. ‘I don’t tell my secrets,’ she jokingly said.
Stewart revealed she hadn’t thought about what she might do. After thinking about it for several seconds, she mentioned she recently launched a foundation where she plans to refurbish parks in Syracuse, New York, and help unhoused youth with resources and opportunities. Her money could go there. Still, the more Stewart pondered, the funnier her answer became.
‘I don’t know. Maybe I’ll buy a watch,’ she eventually said, laughing. ‘An [Audemars Piguet.]
‘Listen, $200,000? The world is my oyster.’